High speed punch



July 26, 1960 Filed June 2. 1958 A. W: SCRIBNER HIGH SPEED PUNCH 2Sheets-Sheet 1 f :IiiiEk 11am,

Kg!- sg- R I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'II llllmlll lllllllllllll wuv mq guw0) m a lNVENTOR ALBERT W. SCRIBNEE ATTORNEY July 26, 19 A. w. SCRIBNERHIGH SPEED PUNCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1958 INVENTOR ALBERT W,SCRIBNER 877M9QMJ ATTORNEY State HIGH SPEED PUNCH Filed June 2, 1958,$91. No. 739,117 12 Claims. or. 164-111) This invention relates to ahigh speed punch and more particularly relates to a novel flying punchwhich is capable of rapidly perforating a record tape or card.

In conventional types of record punches the various individual punchelements are usually selectively actuated by being coupled and uncoupledfrom a power driven means. Here the axial reciprocation and/or swingingmotion of the punch elements occurs only when a perforation in therecord is to be made; said elements otherwise occupying a normal restposition. The high speed serial starting and stopping of the punchelements, and the related parts of the intermittently operated tape feeddrive means, gives rise to a considerable amount of vibration which inturn limits the maximum speed and operational efficiency of the recordpunch apparatus. The several types of flying punches which have beenpreviously proposed possess either the above noted operationaldifficulties, or have a further disadvantage resulting from the punchelements following various non-circular type paths. In the latter casethe continual abrupt changing of the rectilinear type translationalmotion of the punch elements causes vibrations to be set up during thehigh speed operation of the machine. Thus this type of non-circulartranslational motion of the flying punch elements further limits thespeed, efficiency and/or effective life of the punch system and willestablish various design requisites such as minimum size and strengthpermissible for many of the machine parts.

'One object of the instant invention is to provide a novel record punchfor more rapidly and efliciently perforating a record tape or card.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved record punchwhereby a record may be successively and efficiently perforated by meansof a plurality of flying punch elements and at speeds far greater thanthat possible in conventional types of such record punches.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel flying punch inwhich the operational selectivity of the various individual punchingelements is obtained by respectively altering the individual phase ofmotion of said elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel flying punchhaving a plurality of planetating punch elements whose respectiveindividual motion phases may be selectively changed whereby a serialtape punching operation may be effected without the necessity ofinterrupting the feed motion of the tape.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the structural andoperational characteristics of the instant invention.

horizontal plane of two main shafts of the instant punch Zfi idfiddPatented July 26, 1960 Fig. 2 is a plan view in partial section taken inthe apparatus. a

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevational view and shows the guide meansmounted on the operative ends of the respective punch elements.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevational views respectively showing thenormal and active position of the motion phase change gearing for oneset of the punch elements of the instant apparatus.

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the mode of operationof the instant punch apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the instant apparatus comprises a framehaving a base 10 on which is fixedly secured two parallel side members11 and 12. Rotatably mounted in said side frame members is a main shaft13 to the left end of which is rotatably secured a pulley 14 that isadapted to be power driven by a belt 15. A pair of punch supportingheads 16, 17 are rotatably secured to said shaft. In that the structuraland operational nature of each head is the same a detailed discussion ofone thereof will suflice here. The punch supporting head 17 comprises amember 20 which rotatably supports a plurality of groups oftelescopically mounted shafts; the common axes of said groups beingrespectively equidistant from the axis of the shaft 13. In that thestructural and operational nature of each of said groups is the sameonly one thereof will be discussed in detail here. Referring to Figures1, 2, 4 and 5, the group 25, Fig. 4, comprises three telescopicallymounted shafts 26, 27 and 23; shaft 26 being rotatably mounted in thetubular shaft 27, shaft 27 being rotatably mounted in tubular shaft 28,and shaft 28 being rotatably supported by said member 20. Punch elements30, 31 and 32 are fixedly secured to the inner or left ends, Fig. 1, ofshafts 26, 27 and 28 respectively; the outer operative ends of saidelements extending through equal radial distances from the common axis33, Fig. 1, of said shaft group 25. Rotatably secured to the outer endsof said shafts 26-28 are planetary gears 36, 37 and 38 respectively;said gears being maintained in predetermined axial spaced relation bymeans of spacing washers such as 40, Fig. 2.

Said gears 36-38, as well as the corresponding gears for the othergroups of telescopically mounted shafts on head 17, are adapted torespectively mesh with the internal ring gears 41, 42 and 43 which arecoaxially disposed with respect to the shaft 13. Said ring gears aremounted on the machine frame by means of a plurality of fixed transversesupporting shafts 44, 45 and 46, Figs. 1 and 4, which are fixed to theside members 11, 12 of the machine frame. In that the means for mountingand actuating each of said ring gears 41-43 are similar, explanation ofsuch for one ring gear (41) will suflice here. Said transverse shafts44-46 respectively extend through and slidably engage the walls ofarcuate slots 47, 48 and 49, Fig. 4, formed in ring gear 41; the centerof curvature for each of said slots being located at the axis of saidshaft 13. It will be apparent that ring gear 41 may be rotated topredetermined clockwise and counter clockwise positions defined by theengagement of said shafts 44-46 with the respective ends of the arcuateslots 47-49.

Ring gear 41 is normally maintained in the counter clockwise positionshown in Fig. 4 by means of a spring 51 which is secured between thefixed cross shaft 52, mounted in the machine side member 12, and adepending extension 53 formed onthe lower'portion of said ring gear. Themeans for actuating gear 41 comprises a solenoid 54, Fig. 4, which isfixedly supported on the cross member 55 secured to the said sidemembers 11,

12 of the machine frame. The armature 56 of said solenoid isarticulately connected, as at 57, to the said depending ring gearextension 53. Energization of solenoid 54 will serve to rotatably shiftring gear- 41 to its clockwise position shown in Fig. 5, againstthe'action of spring 51. Deenergizing said solenoid will permit spring51 to return gear 41 to its said normal counterclockwise position, Fig.4. The three ring gears 41-43are maintained in fixed axial spacedrelation by means of spacers 60, Fig. 4, fixed to said shafts 44-46. a

Rota-tably secured to the outer or right hand end of shaft 13, Fig. 2,is a gear 61 which meshes with an idler gear 62 that is rotatablymounted onthe side member 12 by means of the stub shaft 63. Gear 62alsomeshes with a gear 64 fixed to the outer end of a shaft 65 that isrotatably mounted in said side members 11 and 12. Rotatably secured toshaft 65 is a record feeding and supporting drum 66 which has aplurality of aligned and longitudinally extending rows of six holes orbores 67, Fig. 1, formed through the walls. of the tubular portionthereof. The circumferential as well as the longitudinal spacing betweensaid bores is uniform and corresponds to that desired for theperforations in the record tape or card. Said drum is also provided witha plurality of peripherally spaced teeth 68, Figs. 4, 5, whichsuccessively engage the usual feed holes 69, Fig. 2, of the record. Eachgroup of six related punch elements is adapted to selectively cooperatewith the six bores 67' in one of said rows of holes in said drum 66,Fig. 1, so as to selectively perforate the record in a manner which willbe subsequently described in detail in connection with Figs. 6 and 7. Itwill be understood that the various groups of telescopically mountedshafts in the punch supporting head 16 are always axially aligned withand are normally in phase with the corresponding groups of shafts in thehead 17.

Turning now to a consideration of the operational nature of the instantapparatus particular reference will be made to Figs. 4-7. In that eachpunch element operates in a similar manner, a consideration of onethereof (30) will suffice here. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seenthat as the member 20 is driven in a clockwise direction 70 by means ofthe constantly rotating shaft 13, the gear 36 will planetate in timedrelation thereto around the inside of the stationary ring gear 41 andwill thereby cause punch element 30 to partake of a correspondingplanetary type motion. At the same time the tape feed drum 66 will berotated in a clockwise direction 71 and in timed relation to therotation of shaft 13. through said gears 61, 62, 64 thereby continuallyfeeding the record tape 72 past the various planetating punch elements.Here, in that the distance between the axis 33 of the punch supportingshaft 26 and the outer operative end of punch element 30 is greater thanthe radius of the pitch circle of the associated gear 36, the trajectoryor path of motion of the said outer end of said punch element 30 willdefine a modified type of hypocycloid as illustrated at 73 in Fig. 6.This type of path will be hereinafter referred to as being defined by aprolate hypocycloidal curve. It will be noted from Fig. 6 that therotative or phase position of curve 73 is such that the outer end ofpunch element 30 always misses, and hence can never cooperate with, thebores formed in said tape feed drum 66. As long as ring gear 41remainsin its normal counterclockwise position of Fig. 4 the punchelement 30 will not enter any of the bores 67 in the rotating drum 66and the continually moving record tape 72 will not be perforated.

f'When it is desired to have said punch element 30 enter one of saidbores 67 and thereby perforate the record the solenoid 54 is energizedso that ring gear 41 is shifted to its clockwise position as shown inFig. 5. This rotative shifting of ring gear 41 will alter the motionphase of both the gear 36 and the punch element 30 thereby ;'shiftingthe phase or 'rotative position of the prolate hypocycloidal curve 73 toa clockwise orientation as illustrated in Fig. 7. Here as the outer endof punch element 30 passes through the outermost portion 75 of theshifted curve or path 73 it will be moving in a general counterclockwisedirection and will be in a position to cooperate with one of the bores67 of the drum 66 which is moving in said clockwise direction 71 intimed relation to the motion of said punch element 30. This action willcause the moving record tape 72 to be perforated by the operative end ofsaid punch element 30. Fora given size for each of the other partsshown, the effective radial length of the punch element 30 relative tothe radius of the pitch circle of gear 36 is adjusted so that during thepunching action described in connection with Figs. 5 and 7, the outeroperative end of said punch element and the associated bore 67 areprogressively and mutually engaged in a manner similar to that of theteeth of two meshinggears. The speed ratio between shafts 65 and 13 willbe equal'to the circumferential pitch ratio of the bores 67 and thegroups, such as 25, of telescopically mounted shafts in'the member 20.

Deenergizing the solenoid 54 will permit spring 51 toreturn the ringgear 41 to its normal Fig. 4 position thereby restoring the phase of thecurve 73 to its ineffective or counterclockwise position as shown anddescribed in connection with Figs. 4 and 6;

It will be seen that the various flying punches of the instant.apparatus partake of a continual planetary motion and that the punchingor no-punching operation of each punch element will be selectivelydetermined by individual phase condition of the planetary motion of eachof said elements. Thus by serially energizing various combinations ofthe six solenoids of the instant apparatus in accordance with aparticular six level code, the successive codes 'will serially appear ascoded perforations in the continuously moving record tape 72. The punchheads 16 and 17 may be continuously rotated at very high speeds therebypermitting the selective punching of the record tape at correspondinglyhigh speeds. This action is accompanied by a minimum amount of vibrationin that none of the principal moving parts of the machine arereciprocated. These factors make the instant apparatus highly desirablefor use with high speed data processing equipment.

In order to insure that the various flying punch elements register withand properly engage the various bores 67 during the punching operationillustrated in Fig. 7, the outer end of each of said elements isprovided with a plurality of radially extending blades 77, Fig. 3, whichhave tapered shoulders 78 that are adapted to slidably engage the wallsof said bores 67 and which thereby serve to radially guide the cuttingedges of each punch element into proper alignment and cooperativeengagement with its associated bore 67.

If desired a suitable clutch 80 may be provided in connection with shaft65 so that the drumv 66 may be stopped where no perforating operationsare to take place for a considerable lengthof time. If the effectivelengths of the various punch elements are made equal to the radii of thepitch circles of the respectively associated planetary gears then themotion of the outer ends of said punch elements will move through aregular type of hypocycloidal path and here the drum shaft 65 may thenbe intermittently rotated from shaft 13 by the drive means illustratedin Figs. 6-8 of the commonly owned copending application of Harry L.Lambert, Serial No. 642,764, filed February 27, 1957, for PerforatedRecord Reader and Feed Mechanism, now Patent Number 2,900,130.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousvariations and modifications may be made in the particular constructionwithout departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It istherefore desired, by the following claims, to include within the scopeof the invention all such variations and modifications wherebysubstantially the results of the invention may be obtained by the use ofsubstantially the same or equivalent means.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a record punch; a frame, a record feeding and supporting means, atleast one punch supporting member rotatably mounted in said frame, aplurality of punch elements spaced and rotatably supported about theperiphery of said member and adapted to selectively cooperate with boresformed in the periphery of said record supporting means, a planetarygear connected to each of said punch elements, a plurality of ring gearssln'ftably mounted in said frame, said ring gears respectivelycooperating with said planetary gears, and means for selectivelyrotatably indexing said ring gears.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1; additionally comprising, means forrotatably driving said member, and means for rotatably driving saidrecord feeding and supporting means in timed relation to the rotation ofsaid member.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein the operative ends of saidpunch elements are provided with substantially radially disposed bladetype guide means which are adapted to insure correct alignment of saidpunch elements as the latter moves into operative engagement with saidrecord supporting and feeding means.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein the effective radial lengthsof said punch elements are greater than radius of the pitch circle ofthe respectively associated planetary gears.

5. A record punch; comprising a frame, a record supporting and feedingmeans rotatably mounted on said frame, at least one punch supportingmember rotatably mounted in said frame, a plurality of punch elementsrotatably supported and equally spaced about the periphery of saidmember, a planetary gear connected to each of said punch elements, aplurality of internal ring gears shiftably mounted in said frame andrespectively meshing with said planetary gears, individual means forselectively rotatably shifting each of said ring gears to one of twooperative positions, and means for rotating said record supporting andfeeding means in timed relation to the rotation of said member.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said record supporting andfeeding means comprises a drum having a plurality of spaced bores formedin the walls of the tubular portion thereof, said punch elements beingselectively cooperable with said bores.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the effective lengths of saidpunch elements are greater than the radii of the pitch circles of theplanetary gears respectively associated with said elements.

8. Apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein the effective lengths of saidpunch elements are equal to the radii of the pitch circles of theplanetary gears respectively associated with said elements.

9. A record punch; comprising a frame, at least one punch supportingmember rotatably mounted on said frame, power operated means for drivingsaid member, a plurality of groups of shafts rotatably mounted at theperiphery of said member, each group of said shafts being mutuallytelescopically disposed, a punch element and a planetary gear fixed toeach of said shafts, a plurality of rotatably shiftable ring gearsmounted in said frame and adapted to mesh with said planet-rating gears,means for individually shifting said ring gears, a record supportingdrum rotatably mounted in said frame and having a plurality of boresformed thereinwhich are selectively cooperable with said punch elements,and means for rotating said drum in timed relation to the rotation ofsaid punch supporting member.

10. A record perforating device; comprising a frame, a record feedingand supporting drum rotatably mounted on said frame, the periphery onsaid drum being formed with a plurality of die holes disposed in apredetermined pattern of distribution, a punch supporting memberrotatably mounted on said frame, at least one group of telescopicallydisposed shafts each rotatably mounted on said punch supporting member,a radially extending punch element secured to the inner end of each ofsaid shafts, the outer ends of said elements being adapted to shearinglycooperate with difierent ones of the die holes formed in said drum, aplanetary gear secured to each of said telescopically mounted shafts, aplurality of gear means operative to respectively cause said planetarygears to rotate when said punch supporting member is rotated,selectively operable means for respectively shifting said gear meansbetween normal and displaced positions, the path of movement of eachpunch element being conditioned to cooperate with one of said holes insaid drum when the related gear means is moved to its displaced positionand being conditioned to avoid cooperation with said one hole when therelated gear means is moved to its normal position, and drive means forrotating said record supporting drum and said punch supporting member intimed relation.

11. Apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the effective radial lengthof each punch element is greater than the radius of the pitch circle ofthe associated planetary gear.

12. Apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the effective radial lengthof each punch element is substantially the same as the radius of thepitch circle of the associated planetary gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,690,209 Smith Nov. 6, 1928 1,802,554 Hahn Apr. 28, 1931 2,761,513Stram Sept. 4, 1956 2,855,998 Einhiple Oct. 14, 1958

